After purchasing a block of land just outside of Cowra, Keith Climpson and his wife planned on building their dream retirement home.
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Ten months on and things haven't gone to plan for the Canimbla Road residents who say their neighbour's cat sanctuary, 'Camp Kitty' is posing serious concerns to both their health and the welfare of the cats.
Living next door to Richard McCudden - who is currently providing a home for around 200 cats - means a number of issues have arisen, Mr Climpson said.
"We've suffered in silence for nine months but everything has come to a head recently over the way he is treating his cats," he said.
"There is not much care and attention, there appears to be no-one helping him out and [we believe] there are some serious feeding concerns."
Mr Climpson said while other issues such as smell and hygiene concern him, it's the cats' welfare that has him most upset.
"There's currently a dead cat in there and the others cats have just been eating away at it," he said.
After moving from England in 1990, Mr Climpson and his wife settled in Western Australia before making the recent move to Cowra.
While he knew the block he purchased was next door to the cat sanctuary, he underestimated the health issues it would cause.
"The NSW Government say that with a few basic safeguards you should be able to safely drink water from your rain tank but we can't do that because particles from the cat faeces are blown up on the roof and go into the water tank so we obviously can't drink it," he said.
"I went to the dentist recently who got an x-ray done and told me I have a severe nasal infection and I believe it's from the stench and contamination- it's pretty horrendous."
Cowra Council is well aware of the concerns of both those living in the surrounding area and the health of the cats and is attempting to remedy the situation, saying they may be forced to prosecute in the Land and Environment Court."
"Cowra Council is actively seeking to overcome this unacceptable situation at the property at Canimbla Road," Mayor Bill West said.
"In this, we have attempted to involve the legal authority for animal cruelty in NSW, the RSPCA, in resolving this predicament involving the hoarding of about 200 cats on this property.
"We have been informed that an RSPCA inspector recently assessed the conditions that the animals live under at this location, but have had no feedback thus far.
"Council is equally aware of the intolerable impact that this scenario has created for adjacent residents involving, as it does, unacceptable smells, possible contamination of storm-water, and the constant distress of seeing animals kept under inhumane conditions."
Cr West said he has contacted Minister for Primary Industries, and Local Member, Katrina Hodgkinson on the current situation and asked for her assistance.
"At the request of neighbours, I have also attended the neighbouring property and was appalled at the conditions I encountered," Cr West said.
"Council is in the process of engaging a reputable veterinarian and Animal Behaviour expert from Sydney to conduct an assessment of the condition and treatment of these animals so that Council can issue Orders of the Local Government Act 1993 to reduce the number of animals allowed to be kept on the property.
"Council has also issued Orders under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 for odour and pollution, but the resident has failed to comply. Ultimately, Council may be forced to prosecute in the Land and Environment Court."
RSPCA chief inspector David O'Shannessy said they have been monitoring the situation for the last few years and made their most recent visit to the property on Monday, January 19.
"Whilst there's some concerns about some of the animals, the owner has provided proof that they are under treatment," Mr O'Shanessy said.
"We will however be going back in the not too distant future to monitor the situation and assess the welfare of the animals."
While he admitted the situation is "not ideal," Mr O'Shanessy said hygiene issues caused by the cats to surrounding neighbours is out of the RSPCA's jurisdiction.
The Cowra Guardian tried contacting Mr McCudden in regards to the latest comments about his cats; but was unsuccessful. Mr McCudden has however previously addressed Cowra Council meetings dealing with matters surrounding his property, describing himself as a cat lover trying to save cats from being dumped and ultimately, put down.
Mr Climpson says he has tried several avenues now to remedy the situation, including contacting the RSPCA, Cowra Council and following matters through the courts.
He stresses he's not out to have all the cats destroyed; just find alternative means of care.
"The way they've living now is bloody terrible- I've shed tears over the things I've seen," he said.
A petition titled 'Shut down Camp Kitty' has been making the rounds of the internet recently, with local resident Tabetha Egan behind the driving force.
Ms Egan created the petition on Sunday, January 18 and reached almost 500 online signatures by the following morning.
"We want to show Cowra Council that we support them and we know they're doing everything they can but something has to be done soon," she said.
"I have shown it to Council already and a lot of people in town have indicated that they'll be taking it to local businesses to get even more support."
With signatures and words of support from not only locals but those as far flung as Belgium and the UK, Ms Egan is hoping action will soon eventuate.
"I've seen the condition of the cats and while I really believe that 90 per cent of the cats need to be put down due to their very poor health, I would love to see the healthy ones re-homed," she said.
"I'm happy to do some kind of a fundraiser so that we could get them microchipped, desexed and into homes."
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